Aftermath
by lioness1120
Summary: AU Drabble series disregarding HBP and DH. Hermione deals with the aftermath of a personal tragedy. What happened that night? And how will she go on living now that her life is changed forever?
1. Ignorance

A/N: Just one of those depressing little thoughts that hit me sometime. I was reading through old email and people were having arguments about drabbles and so I decided to try to write one myself! This will be a drabble SERIES so each chapter will be a little 100 word snapshot. It's a little experiment for me so bear with me please!

* * *

They didn't even notice.

It was the first day back after Christmas Break. Harry was still carefree and unworried about Voldemort, rejuvenated from his holiday with the Weasley's. Ron, as usual, was stuffing his face with the product of the house elves' work. As she watched him, a bit of mashed potatoes spilled from his mouth, dripping onto his school robes. Down the table, younger students talked and laughed, sharing all of their holiday adventures and comparing the gifts they received. Everyone was happy and relaxed, without a care in the world. Except her.

How could they not see it?


	2. Night

A/N: Second chapter! Definitely a new experience for me writing drabbles! Please review and tell me what you think!

* * *

It was nighttime now. Night was always the worst. That is when _they_ had come. There had been no warning, no sign at all of the impending danger. Just darkness, flashes of light and angry shouts and then pain, unstopping and unforgiving pain.

She shuddered just thinking about it. She wished she could make it stop. That was all she wanted. But it was all that filled her mind. It tortured her every second that she breathed. Every little thing reminded her of that night. A boy's laugh, couples snogging in the halls, a teacher's reprimand…

Nothing gave her peace.


	3. Robes

A/N: Here's the third installment. Please review and let me know what you think!

* * *

The sight of the dark robes all the students wore had stopped her short when she disembarked from the train. She had forgotten that at Hogwarts everyone wore dark robes so similar to those of... _them._ Somehow that simple fact had slipped her mind.

That had been when Ron and Harry had finally caught up with her. She had successfully avoided them on the train but her abrupt stop had finally alerted them to her location.

Surely, she had thought, they would notice something was wrong. They were her best friends after all.

She needn't have worried.

They noticed _nothing_.


	4. Touching

A/N: Hi there again! Here's another installment. From my notes so far, there might be another 15 drabbles coming from this. My problem though is I need to motivate myself to continue with WIP's. Reviews really help though! So if you have any feelings at all, don't be afraid to drop me a line and just tell me what you think!

* * *

Touching.

That was all the boys seemed to do. Punching each other in the shoulder, wrestling on the ground, rudely poking people to get their attention. She had never noticed it before. She'd had no reason to.

Now, she was hypersensitive to every action. Even innocent little touches put her on high alert. A pat on the back, a friendly hug, holding hands…

The girls weren't as bad. But even after six years they still tried to fuss over her whenever they were in a makeover mood. She couldn't remain inconspicuous forever.

Every little touch made her want to vomit.


	5. Something's Wrong

A/N: Hey there! I know its been while but I've just been so caught up with college planning! Less than 2 weeks now! Here's the next installment. It's double drabble time!

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"There you are! Ron and I've been looking all over for you Hermione! Where've you been all day?" Harry asked panting, his face red from running around the castle looking for her. He had finally resorted to the Marauders' Map, spotting her in a tiny hidden alcove of the library.

Still trying to catch his breath, Harry finally looked at her. Really looked at her this time, taking in her red eyes swollen from crying and her hair in a gravity-defying state of disheveledness.

"Hermione? Are you all right?" He asked questionably, cursing himself because obviously she wasn't anywhere near all right.

"I'm fine Harry. Never better." She tried to pull off a smile to dissuade his worries but it came out more like a grimace. "Just studying. NEWTS this year you know." She prayed Harry would just take that as an excuse. "We should get back to the common room Harry." And with that, she gathered up her things and started out of the library.

Harry watched her go for a moment before following her. Something was very wrong with his best friend. And he was going to find out what it was whether she liked it or not.


	6. Her Fault

A/N: Sorry for the longer wait! Unfortunately updates might be slower for a while because I'm leaving for college next week. But don't worry, I won't abandon this story! Please leave me a review to tell me what you think. They make me write faster!

* * *

Her fault.

That's what it was after all. Her fault she was born a Mudblood, her fault she made them want her… It was her fault this had happened to her. All her fault.

She shouldn't have tried to deny it. She realized now she was just a little whore. It had taken her a while to realize but after they "explained" it to her, she understood.

She didn't understand how she hadn't realized it before. Her two best friends were boys after all.

She knew now though. She was a whore. A thing for them to use.

That's all.


	7. The Outsider

A/N: So wow. it's been a while! Sorry about that, I've been crazy busy with starting college and everything. I've actually had this written for a while but was keeping it back as a reserve because it's the last one I have pre-written. Hopefully though with all my free time now that I'm on break I'll get some writing done even if I've wasted half of it already! This is something a bit different since it's 300 instead of 100 words so I'd guess you'd call it a triple-drabble? As always, please review and tell me what you think!

* * *

She watched Hermione from across the Great Hall. She had tried to ignore the signs the girl had been exhibiting since they had all returned from Christmas Break. But it was nearly undeniable now. She sighed heavily, turning her attention to her plate, and tried to force food down her throat before continuing to watch the girl surreptitiously.

There. Hermione had done it again. A slight flinch when someone, Harry this time, reached out to touch her. She saw the slightly hurt look on Harry's face before he quickly masked it and continued as if nothing happened. Harry, she could tell, suspected something was wrong and wasn't going to push the issue. Ron was oblivious, continuing to talk, while downing food in ridiculous quantities.

She knew all the signs. Barely eating. Flinching away from being touched. Being more subdued… She didn't think Hermione had risen her hand since she returned from the holidays. The teachers had certainly noticed that. And the "Golden Trio" had essentially turned into the "Golden Duo", Hermione was so often absent from her two best friends.

Hannah Abbott again turned back to the Hufflepuff table, focusing her attention on the first year that had asked her a question, putting the problem that was Hermione Granger in the back of her mind. It wasn't as if she could do anything about it at this moment. She knew what had happened to the girl. And Hannah knew she would need help eventually, though she may refuse to admit it now. No matter how hard the determined girl resisted asking for assistance, she would eventually need it. Just as the people she needed most she was constantly pushing away.

Hannah knew all these things. She knew exactly what was going through Hermione's mind. She had gone through it too.


End file.
